This invention relates to a method and system for determining or anticipating which apparatus or apparatuses of a molding system should be maintained, before the operation of the molding system is interrupted.
A molding system uses many components and apparatuses, such as an air cylinder, an oil cylinder, and an electric motor. They may exceed 10-1,000 in number.
Because a molding system uses many components and apparatuses and silica sand, and because motes float around equipment, the components and apparatuses of the equipment tend to be abraded so that those components or apparatuses may be damaged. Also, because each apparatus or component operates in at least two steps, and because those steps are sensed when they are terminated, the degradation of the sensors affects the cycle times of the molding system. Also, the timing of the steps may vary, so that the processes can be unstable. The determination of the problems must be performed by accessing data in the memory of the controller and by inspecting peripheral components of the unit. As a result, the determination and inspection take a long time, and may impede production plans, such as the production and production dates.
In addition, over time grease for components for a molding system becomes insufficient, or parts, a sealant, etc., of the components degrade, so that the components cannot accurately work or the times to operate the components become long. Thus, usually the components are periodically maintained. However, it is difficult to determine to what degree they will degrade. Thus, when components have problems, the equipment is stopped and then parts, a sealant, elements, etc., of the components are exchanged.
There are some methods to monitor the tendency for each component to degrade. One of the methods uses a vibration sensor that is located on the component or apparatus to monitor the amplitude and the acceleration of vibrations. Another method is used to monitor grease on a bearing, etc. Many components are needed to perform those methods, so that a system to perform the methods becomes a massive one. As a sensor is apt to degrade, a special apparatus is used for a sensor. However, the special apparatus cannot be used to monitor the tendency for all the apparatuses or components of the equipment to degrade. Thus, there is a desire that the tendency of all the apparatuses or components to degrade be easily monitored, so that their problems can be anticipated before the equipment is caused to be stopped.
Thus, taking the circumstances stated above into consideration, this invention was conceived. One object of this invention is to provide a system and a method for determining or anticipating which apparatus or component must be repaired before a molding system is caused to be stopped by any problem. Another object of this invention is to allow the determination or the anticipation by the method and system to be performed at a control tower that is remote from, e.g., any factory where a system is located, at a central office that is remote from factories in Japan where a system is located, and at a maintenance office that is remote from a customer""s factory. Also, another object of this invention is to provide a system that can readily anticipate, for a company in Japan, the maintenance of a system located in a foreign country.
The method for supporting maintenance for equipment in claim 1 is one for determining and anticipating where maintenance should be needed before a system is caused to be interrupted. The method includes the step of measuring and storing at short intervals over a long time data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times. The method also includes the steps of retrieving data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored and specifying any cycle time that is longer than a reference cycle time, determining as a process which process may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the specified period or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the specified period, and displaying data on the processes that may cause a problem.
The method for supporting maintenance in claim 2 one for equipment for determining where maintenance should be needed before the operation of a system is caused to be interrupted. The method includes the step of measuring and storing at short intervals over a long time data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times. The method also includes the steps of retrieving data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored and specifying any period that includes cycle times that are longer than a reference cycle time, determining as a process which process may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the specified period or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the specified period, monitoring the variations of the operation times in regards to the processes that are determined in the cycle times, and displaying data on the processes that may cause a problem.
The method for supporting maintenance as in claim 3 is one for equipment for anticipating where maintenance should be needed before the operation of a system is caused to be interrupted. The method includes the step of measuring and storing at short intervals over a long time data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times. The method also includes the steps of retrieving data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored and specifying any period that includes cycle times that are longer than a reference cycle time, determining which process may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the specified period or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the specified period, monitoring the variations of the operation times in regards to the processes that are determined, and displaying data on the processes that may cause a problem.
The system for supporting maintenance for equipment as in claim 4 is a method for determining and anticipating where maintenance should be needed before the operation of the equipment is caused to be interrupted. The system includes a memory component 1 for measuring and storing, at short intervals over a long time, data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times, a retrieving component 2 for retrieving data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored in the memory component 1 and specifying any cycle time that is longer than a reference cycle time, a selecting component 3 for determining as a process which process may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2 or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2, and a display D for displaying the processes that may cause a problem.
The system for supporting maintenance for equipment in claim 5 is one for determining where maintenance should be needed before the operation of the equipment is caused to be interrupted. The system comprises a memory component 1 for measuring and storing, at short intervals over a long time, data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times, a retrieving component 2 for retrieving data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored in the memory component 1 and specifying any period that includes cycle times that are longer than a reference cycle time, a selecting component 3 for determining as a process which process may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2 or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2, a variation-checking component 4 for monitoring the variations of the operation times during processes that are determined as ones that may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2 or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2, and a display D for displaying the processes that may cause a problem.
The system for supporting maintenance for equipment as in claim 6 is one for anticipating where maintenance should be needed before the operation of a system is caused to be interrupted. The system comprises a memory component 1 for measuring and storing, at short intervals over a long time, data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times, a retrieving component 2 for retrieving data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored in the memory component 1 and specifying any period that includes the cycle times that are longer than a reference cycle time, a selecting component 3 for determining which process may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2 or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2, a variation-checking component 5 for monitoring the variations of the operation times during the processes that are determined by the selecting component 3, and a display for displaying data on the processes that may cause a problem.
The system in claim 7 is that of any one of claims 4, 5, and 6, wherein at least one of the display D, which displays processes that may cause a problem, the retrieving component 2, the component 3 for selecting the process, and the checking component 5 for monitoring the variations, is connected to a radio communication line, a communication line, or the Internet, whereby the system can monitor the equipment located at remote locations.
The system in claim 8 is that of any one of claims 4-7, wherein the number of components or apparatuses included in the equipment is between 30 and 1,000.
The system in claim 9 is that of claim 7, wherein the equipment is a molding system.
The procedure wherein the system for supporting maintenance for equipment as in claim 4 determines or anticipates where maintenance should be needed is now explained. The memory component 1 measures and stores, at short intervals over a long time, data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times. Then, the retrieving component 2 retrieves data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored in the memory component 1 and specifies any cycle time that is longer than a reference cycle time. Then, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2 or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2, the process that may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle time is determined. Any process or processes that may have a problem or problems are determined, so that components or apparatuses that should be maintained can be determined or anticipated, before the operation of the equipment becomes interrupted.
The procedure as in claim 5 wherein the system for supporting maintenance for equipment determines where maintenance should be needed is now explained. The memory component 1 measures and stores, at short intervals over a long time, data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times. Then, the retrieving component 2 retrieves data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored in the memory component 1 and specifies any cycle time that is longer than a reference cycle time. Then, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2 or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2, any process that may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle times is determined. Then, the variation-checking component 4 monitors the variations of the operation times that are determined by the selecting component 3 during the cycle times. If this checking operation finds that the operation times were long during the cycle time, then the component or apparatus in regards to the operation times must soon be maintained.
The procedure as in claim 6 wherein the system for supporting maintenance for equipment as in claim 6 determines where maintenance should be needed is now explained. The memory component 1 measures and stores, at short intervals over a long time, data on cycle times, each of which is the time of one cycle of an operation of the equipment, and data on the operation times of the processes performed by components or apparatuses that affect the cycle times. Then, the retrieving component 2 retrieves data in a database in which the cycle times and the operation times of the processes are stored in the memory component 1 and specifies any cycle time that is longer than a reference cycle time. Then, based on the sum of the operation times that exceed a predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2 or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time during the period specified by the retrieving component 2, the process that may cause a problem among the processes of the apparatuses that affect the cycle time is determined. Then, the variation-checking component 5 monitors the variations of the operation times during the processes that are determined by the selecting component. If this checking operation finds that during the cycle time the operation times were long, the component or apparatus in regards to the operation times must soon be maintained.